title: Elevated ovarian follicular fluid stem cell factor concentrations are associated with improved pregnancy rates in in-vitro fertilization cycles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether ovarian follicular fluid (FF) stem cell factor concentrations are associated with successful IVF pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nested case-control design evaluation of stem cell factor levels from the FF of oocytes fertilized and transferred after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-based ART program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infertile women undergoing IVF in a university-based ART program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven FF samples from a cohort of patients (n = 13) with tubal factor and unexplained infertility were stored at -80 degrees C and subsequently evaluated for stem cell factor concentration. Patients with endometriosis, polycystic ovary disease, and male factor infertility were excluded. Stem cell factor concentrations were measured using a commercially available ELISA kit according to the manufacturer's specifications. The groups were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance, and significance was determined using the chi2 analysis of contingency table, the unpaired t-test, or the Mann-Whitney rank-sum test.
  
  
  METHODS
  FF stem cell factor concentration, pregnancy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stem cell factor concentrations were significantly higher in the FF of the patients who achieved successful pregnancies than in those who did not (641.7+/-75.2 pg/mL versus 475.5+/-50.58 pg/mL).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated FF stem cell factor concentrations are associated with an increased likelihood of IVF success. Therefore, stem cell factor may play a role in human follicular and oocyte development, and increasing infrafollicular stem cell factor concentrations may improve pregnancy rates after oocyte retrieval, fertilization, and ET.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco 94143, USA. collin_smikle@quickmail.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Smikle
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Dandekar
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Schriock
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Givens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019089:Stem Cell Factor